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Leon Valley council tables decision on library annex building, orders temporary closure pending town hall
Summary
After weeks of discussion about a failing annex, ADA concerns and modest Friends book-sale revenue, council voted to table the annex/portable-building decision until a Jan. 24 town-hall and temporarily close public access to the annex for safety and review.
The Leon Valley City Council on Nov. 18 tabled action on a proposed $150,000–$200,000 prefabricated building and roof repairs to the library annex and directed staff to temporarily close the annex to general public use pending further review and the Jan. 24 town-hall.
Public Works Director Melinda Mort told the council that a modular building with the same footprint could be obtained for around $150,000 and recommended budgeting $200,000 to account for site-specific costs. Councilors pushed back on timing and priorities during a tight budget year, asking whether the city's limited capital should be used for the annex or other infrastructure needs.
Councilor Campos questioned the return-on-investment given that the Friends of the Library bring in roughly $2,000 a year from book sales. Councilor Roscoe and others voiced safety concerns about the current structure and enforcing ADA accessibility. Library staff and Friends described archive work and digitization underway and suggested fundraising alternatives if the annex closed.
After discussion Councilor Roscoe moved to table agenda item 3.6 until after the Jan. 24 town-hall and to temporarily close the annex to the public to keep it safe; Councilor Heil seconded. The motion carried on a voice vote.
Mayor Riley said the item will return after the town-hall, and staff will include the annex as part of a prioritized infrastructure list for citizen input. Council also directed staff to consider a memorandum of understanding if the Friends continue to use city-owned space.
